CBD, the cannabis compound that wonâ€™t get you high, due to the low, or zero, amounts of THC, has shaken the nation to its core.

The rise of vaping and juuling has swept the streets of the university. Walking down Main Street, vendors are actively selling their supply to hungry college kids trying to jump on the next bandwagon.

I jumped on the CBD bandwagon in June of 2018, but not for vaping purposes; as a sufferer of chronic pain, test anxiety and migraines, I decided to try it, and I will never be the same.

CBD, a cannabis compound also known as cannabidiol, is a natural substance obtained from hemp plants that can promote wellness without any psychoactive or intoxicating effects.

According to Project CBD, a California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and publicizing research about the medical uses of CBD, CBD has significant medical benefits but does not leave the person feeling â€śstoned.â€ť CBD-rich cannabis is non-psychoactive or less psychoactive than THC- dominant strains, making it appealing to patients looking for relief from inflammation, pain, depression, anxiety, seizures and other conditions without disconcerting feelings of lethargy or dysphoria.

Charlotteâ€™s Web is a CBD company run by the seven Stanley Brothers who produce their own strain of hemp and convert it into topicals, oils and edibles in order to treat individuals suffering from anxiety, seizures and chronic pain, and their company shined a bright light on the CBD industry.

CBD was first brought into the public eye in 2013 because of a girl named Charlotte Figi, who suffered from severe epileptic seizures due to Dravet syndrome. Charlotteâ€™s Web owners championed her cause after seeing Charlotteâ€™s story and decided to make it their mission to help little boys and girls suffering from medical conditions like her. Once Figi started taking the strain her epileptic seizures reduced from 300+ weekly to four seizures per month.

Although Charlotteâ€™s Web is very popular and highly regarded, there are other CBD tinctures that are just as good, such as Medterra Review, Green Roads World, Koi CBD, NuLeaf Naturals and Endoca CBD Hemp Oil. A tincture, as defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary is a solution of a medicinal substance in an alcoholic solvent. There are also isolates, edibles (gummies, chocolates, lollipops), pet treats, oil sprays, water solubles and powder additives to name a few. Potency and dosage amounts vary from company to company. The acceptable individual dosage recommendation is to begin small and increase based on personal tolerance. Most reputable CBD companies will have third party lab results available on their websites and some even offer military, student and first responder discounts.

CBD has come under scrutiny in the public eye due to the legalities behind the natural substance. Hemp-derived CBD is legal in all 50 states but marijuana-derived CBD is only legal in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Due to the delay of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD status is currently being hotly debated and is awaiting legislative approval.

Many college students who try out the substance are unaware how CBD regulates their body and are simply using it to try the new fad. According to Medical Marijuana, Inc., CBD interacts with the body through the endogenous cannabinoid system, which regulates the bodyâ€™s homeostasis, impacting such functions as mood, sleep, appetite, hormone regulation and pain and immune response. This system â€ścorrectsâ€ť by mediating our bodyâ€™s reaction to keep us level, and this results in the feeling of a â€śhigh.â€ť

MainStream Nutrition, a health shop located on Main Street, down Traderâ€™s Alley, sells oils, topicals and edibles to local students and parents. Joseph Mullen Jr., the owner of the shop, has noticed the recent trend of students coming in wanting to try CBD, due to its popularity on social media.

â€śI originally sold smoothies but adding CBD products has surpassed the smoothies,â€ť Mullen says. â€śI donâ€™t have to sell smoothies anymore and I would be fine. I see a majority of college students coming in for anxiety, and individuals over 30+ are coming in for pain management.â€ť

Mullenâ€™s shop is not the only one that has benefitted from the CBD frenzy. Frolic on Main is a shop that sells clothing, shoes, vapes and CBD oils. Bryan Frost, the manager of Frolic on Main, has noticed that an increase in CBD popularity has greatly increased his customer base.

â€śSince the popularity has really blown up, I have every method you want to consume,â€ť Frost says. â€śMy product ranges from vapes, oils, topicals and even dog treats. I see all ages coming in for pain and anxiety and it has really seemed to benefit them.â€ť

On the other hand, Head Quarters, a vape shop on Main Street, has noticed that the older clientele are the ones serious about the benefits of the substance. Moon Koreshi, a salesman, has noticed that the college students who come in only try the edibles.

â€śMost college students come in wanting to try the edibles and we have to explain that itâ€™s not marijuana-based,â€ť Koreshi said. â€śThe older students or individuals come in for depression and use it as an enhancer. CBD has really benefited them and our market as a whole.â€ť